Google wants to make RE < C

Last week Google announced an initiative with the bold goal of making renewable energy cheaper than coal.

At first glance, this seems to be outside of their core competency, however Google and companies like Microsoft and Yahoo! are huge customers of energy with the large data centers being created.

Also, Google stated at its IPO: "Our goal is to develop services that significantly improve the lives of as many people as possible. In pursuing this goal, we may do things that we believe have a positive impact on the world, even if the near-term financial returns are not obvious."

"High Oil Prices Confound OPEC" (New York Times, Nov 16, 2007)

“We do not like policies that discriminate against petroleum or fossil fuels in general,” Ali al-Naimi, the Saudi oil minister, said at a news conference on Tuesday. “It behooves us to find a technological process that will make the continued use of fossil fuels possible.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/16/business/16cnd-opec.html?pagewanted=all

"Big Oil buys Sacramento (aka, why you're not hearing a peep from California politicians on record-high gas prices)"

The issue of refinery capacity and fuel pricing isn't as simple as this op-ed portrays, but it reflects very well the sentiment/concerns people have w.r.t. oil.

"Gasoline prices are stuck well above last year's record highs and about 50 cents above the national average. Yet state politicians are not saying or doing a thing, except for raking in political cash from the oil companies and flying around the world on their dime."

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-court14may14,0,991123.story

"The Effects of High-Priced Oil" (NYT)

Two new articles in the NYT today, about the effect high-oil prices are having on geopolitics, and possible long-term concerns re: economic growth:


"The prospect of triple-digit oil prices has redrawn the economic and political map of the world, challenging some old notions of power. Oil-rich nations are enjoying historic gains and opportunities, while major importers — including China and India, home to a third of the world’s population — confront rising economic and social costs."

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/07/business/07oilwealth.html?hp=&pagewanted=all


"[T]he International Energy Agency warned that demand for oil imports by China and India will almost quadruple by 2030 and could create a supply 'crunch' as soon as 2015 if oil producers do not step up production, energy efficiency fails to improve and demand from the two countries is not dampened."

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/07/business/07cnd-energy.html?pagewanted=all

Climate Change, Measurement Methodology

Climate change is related to many issues in the energy industry; therefore, I thought readers might find it useful to read this post, which talks about some of the protocols used to measure climate change, and new findings in this regard.

http://arstechnica.com/journals/science.ars/2007/10/25/climate-change-mega-post

BP Agrees to Pay Fine of $373 Million to US Govt (AFP, Oct 25, 2007)

"The global energy giant agreed to pay the fines, some of which were criminal penalties, for environmental violations relating to a Texas refinery blast in 2005, crude oil pipeline leaks in Alaska, and to defer a prosecution for fixing prices in the propane gas market."

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5j-KKOgwF5bAblQR7VOnJTzlZFxEw

http://www.forbes.com/business/energy/2007/10/25/bp-energy-environment-biz-energy-cx_bw_1025bpfines.html

Oil, Gas and the Caspian

Politics is playing a big part in the hindrance of development of energy reserves in the Caspian. Russia is using its muscle to maintain its dominance in the region as the 5 countries that border the sea could not come to agreement on usage rights.

A Quest for Energy in the Globe’s Remote Places (NYT, October 9, 2007)

"The gas field, 340 miles north of the Arctic Circle beneath a stretch of ocean more commonly known as the Barents Sea, is called Snow White — Snohvit in Norwegian.... The field is so large that it could eventually supply nearly 10 percent of the demand for natural gas demand in eastern states of the United States. Dominion, an energy company, has expanded a gas import terminal at Cove Point, Md., to accommodate the Arctic gas...."

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/09/business/worldbusiness/09polar.html?pagewanted=all

Barack Obama Proposes 35% Cut in Use of Foreign Oil by 2030 (Oct 8, 2007)

"Obama proposed investing $150 billion over the next 10 years to develop and produce climate-friendly energy supplies and create millions of jobs while protecting the U.S. manufacturing base."

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=ao0lFk7nR3oo&refer=home

Wal-Mart to Reach 100M CFL Light Bulbs Sold, 3 Months Ahead of Goal (Oct 2, 2007)

"Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. today announced it has surpassed its goal to sell 100 million compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) by the end of 2007. Over the lifetime of the CFLs, Wal-Mart estimates that these energy-saving bulbs will have the effect of taking 700,000 cars off the road, or conserving the energy needed to power 450,000 single-family homes."

http://www.walmartfacts.com/articles/5328.aspx


Also: GE announces, 2 days later, that it's shuttering an incandescent bulb factory:

http://www.genewscenter.com/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=2704&NewsAreaID=2

CSU Develops Low-Cost Solar Panels, Due in Late 2008 ($2/watt cost)

"Colorado State University's method for manufacturing low-cost, high-efficiency solar panels is nearing mass production. AVA Solar Inc. will start production by the end of next year..."

http://www.industryweek.com/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=14932

Wind Energy to Be Stored Underground, for Release During Peak Times

Follow the link: (Main story at BusinessWeek.com, cool graphic at Engadget)

http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/05/excess-wind-energy-to-be-stored-underground-for-future-use/

Oil refinery emissions offsets in Cali

The state of California is working with oil companies to pay offsets for the emissions of greenhouse gases.

China going green?

Not exactly, but they are committed to supporting investment in renewable energy in China to the tune of $265B.

"ConocoPhillips and ADM: to Develop Next-Generation Biofuels" (press release)

"The alliance will research and seek to commercialize two components of a next-generation biofuel production process: a) The conversion of biomass from crops, wood or switchgrass into biocrude, a non-fossil substance that can be processed into fuel; and b) The refining of biocrude to produce transportation fuel."

http://www.conocophillips.com/newsroom/news_releases/2007+News+Releases/092707.htm

Here Comes the Sun

Old solar power technologies are making a comeback. Perhaps they never left. This solar-thermal method avoids the high prices of photovoltaic panels.

Hydrogen From Algae (MIT Tech Review)

"Anastasios Melis, a plant- and microbial-biology professor at the University of California, Berkeley, believes that genetically engineered versions of the tiny green organisms have a good shot at being a viable source for hydrogen."

http://www.technologyreview.com/Energy/19438/page1/

Water Scarcity Threatens China's Future - (NYT: Sept 28, 2007)

"China is scouring the world for oil, natural gas and minerals to keep its economic machine humming. But trade deals cannot solve water problems. Water usage in China has quintupled since 1949, and leaders will increasingly face tough political choices as cities, industry and farming compete for a finite and unbalanced water supply."

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/28/world/asia/28water.html?pagewanted=all

Save-a-Watt and Duke Energy

Interesting proposal by Jim Rogers, CEO of Duke Energy and North Carolina is the test.

One local Durham organization with a similar pursuit is Clean Energy Durham. Clean Energy Durham has partnered with Fuqua on Board.

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